第48期：Applying for a Visa 申请签证

「晨读音频」

Hey guys! Welcome to my channel. I’m Grace. Good morning!

欢迎来到我的频道～我是Grace老师，早上好呀！

Do you miss traveling? Which countries have you been to? You must be deeply impressed by the dramatic sceneries and different culture in those countries.

你想念旅行吗？你去过哪些国家？那些国家引人注目的风景和不同的文化一定给你留下过深刻的印象。

However, before we go to another country, we need to apply for a visa first. If you decide to go to the US, you even need to have a visa interview.

然而，在我们去另一个国家之前，我们需要先申请签证。如果你决定去美国，你甚至还需要进行签证的面试。

During the interview, you need to answer several questions. These questions won’t be quite difficult, but you definitely need to answer them to the visa officer clearly and honestly.

在面试过程中，你需要回答一些问题。这些问题不会很难，但是你肯定是要清楚地并且诚实地回答签证官。

Today we are going to listen to a dialogue which might be helpful for you to apply for a visa in the future. Let’s see what questions will the visa officer ask during the interview.

今天我们将要听一段对话可能对于你未来申请签证有帮助。让我们来看看在面试过程中，签证官会问一些什么问题吧。

「对话文本」

A: So, you’re applying for a B2 visa, where is your final destination and what’s the purpose of your trip to the United States?所以，你要申请B2签证，你的目的地是哪里呢，你此次美国之行的目的是什么呢？ B: I’m going to visit my brother; he’s just had a baby. He lives in Minneapolis.我要去探访我的哥哥，他刚生了一个孩子。他住在明尼阿波利斯。A: And how long do you plan to remain in the United States?你打算在美国呆多久？B: I’ll be here for approximately three weeks. So, here’s my return ticket for the twenty-sixth of March.我在这儿大约3周。这是我3月26号的回程票。A: And, who is sponsoring your trip?谁会担保你此次的旅行？ B: My brother, here, this is an invitation letter from him. I will stay with him and his family in their home.我哥哥，你看，这是他给我的邀请信件。我会和他，还有他的家人呆在家里。A: Alright, tell me about the ties you have to your home country.好的， 告诉我国内你有什么样的关系。B: Well, I own a house; actually, I’m leaving my dog there with my neighbors. I have a car at home, and oh, my job! I’m employed by Tornel as an engineer. Actually, I only have three weeks’ vacation, so I have to go back to work at the end of March.好的。我自己有房子，事实上，我托付邻居帮忙照顾我的狗。我还有一辆车在家。噢，还有我的工作，我在托内尔担任工程师。其实我只有三周的假期，所以我必须在三月底回来上班。A: And what evidence do you have that you are financially independent?还有，有什么可以表明你经济独立呢？B: Well, I do have assets in my country; like I said, I own a house, and see, here’s a bank statement showing my investments, and my bank balance.嗯，我有自己的资产；就像我说的，我有自己的房子，看，这是银行对账单，详细说明我的投资事项还有存款余额。A: I’m sorry, sir, we cannot grant you a B2 visa at this time, instead, you are granted a resident visa! Congratulations, you are the millionth person to apply for a visa! You win! Congratulations!先生，不好意思，我们现在不能给你办理B2签证，而是可以给你办理居留签证！恭喜你，你是第一百万个申请签证的人！你获得了签证！恭喜你！

「重要发音技巧」

Welcome back. That’s unbelievable. This guy applied for a tourist visa and then he got a resident visa. Hmm, is it possible to happen in the real world? Haha, of course not.

欢迎回来。太不可思议了。这人原来申请的是旅游签证结果拿到了居住签证。嗯，在现实生活中会发生吗？哈哈，当然不会啦。

Well, except for this, the whole dialogue is quite practical for you to learn some useful words and sentences, which can be utilized in your real life.

好吧，除了这个，整个对话还是很实用的，你可以学习并且应用里面的词和句子到现实生活当中。

Okay, now let’s learn some important tips of pronunciations first.

好了，现在让我们先学习一些重要的发音技巧。

1. 语调：

语调是帮助我们表达各种思想感情的重要途径，英语语调的基本类型有降调、升调和平调。

降调表示说话人的态度肯定、意思完整、语法结构独立；升调表示说话人的态度不肯定、意思不完整、语法结构不独立；平调一般用于直接引语后面，表述所说的话，音高没有高低的变化。在意义比较复杂的句子或意群中，往往结合了三种基本语调，构成升降调或者降升调，而使语调变得复杂。

美国英语比英国英语更平民化，它的语调也更趋于自然，较少故意的抑扬顿挫；英国英语语调则起伏较大。不同的语调可以表示说话人不同的态度和不同的隐含意思。英语中同一句话采用不同的语调会产生截然不同的语意概念。

例如：

“yes”

若用降调，表示说话人对所回答的问题十分确定；

若用升调，表示对问题有疑问。语调具有强烈的感情色彩，它使语言更富有表现力。

在这里我们着重学习升调在罗列事物时的用法。

例如：

For each incomplete sentence, there are four choices marked A↗, B↗, C↗, and D↘.

对于每一个不完整的句子，都会给出四个答案，分别标记为A、B、C和D。

文章中：

I have a car at home↗, and oh, my job↘!

我还有一辆车在家。噢，还有我的工作！

2. 断句

当句子较长时，人们会觉得很难一口气把话说完。这时，可以按语义和语法的关系把句子分为若干段，每一段就是一个意群。换句话说，意群就是可以构成一个相对独立意思的一段，是组成句子的部件。

意群和意群之间可以有一定的停顿，这种停顿和人们的思维活动是一致的。但一个意群中的各个单词之间则不可停顿，整个意群读下来就像一个长单词一样。记住：英语不是一个词一个词地说的。

例如：

Liu Xiang, who’s a brilliant runner, represented China at Olympic Games.

意群：

Liu Xiang, | who’s a brilliant runner, |represented China |at Olympic Games.

优秀的跑步运动员（田径运动员）刘翔代表中国参加了奥运会。

文章中：

So, | you’re applying for | a B2 visa,|where is your final destination | and what’s the purpose of your trip | to the United States?

所以，你要申请B2签证，你的目的地是哪里呢，你去美国旅行的目的是什么呢？

「核心单词掌握」

1. visa [ˈviːzə] n. (护照的)签证

It means an official document, or a stamp put in your passport, which allows you to enter or leave a particular country.

它指的是一份官方文件，或是在护照上加盖的印章，它能允许你进入或离开一个特定的国家。

衍生：

tourist visa 旅行签证

temporary resident visa 临时居民签证

例句：

His visitor's visa expired.

他的访问签证过期了。

2. sponsor [ˈspɑːnsər] v. 资助

It means take care of someone and make sure he/she has enough money.

它指的是照顾某人并且确保他/她有足够的钱。

衍生：

sponsor n. 赞助者，赞助商，担保人

例句：

She found a company to sponsor her through college.

她找到一家愿资助她读完大学的公司。

3. invitation letter 邀请函

invitation [ˌɪnvɪˈteɪʃn] n. (口头或书面的)邀请

letter [ˈletər] n. 信;函

It means a formal letter that a friend or a relative or maybe a business writes to ask you to come to their country.

它指的是一封正式的信，是朋友、亲戚或者企业写的，邀请你去他们的国家。

例句：

We will send the formal invitation letter upon receipt of your confirming note.

收到确认出席的回执单，我们将向您发出正式邀请函。

4. ties [taɪz] n. 联系；关系

It means the connections you have with people or a place.

它是指你与人或地方的联系。

近义词：

relation [rɪˈleɪʃn] n. 关系

connection [kəˈnekʃn] n. 联系，关联

例句：

Quebec has always had particularly close ties to France.

魁北克和法国一向关系特别紧密。

5. financially independent 经济独立

financially [faɪˈnænʃəlɪ] adv. 财政上；金融上；经济上

independent [ˌɪndɪˈpendənt] adj. 独立的；自主的

It means you don’t need to rely on anyone, that you have enough money.

它是指你无需依赖于任何人，你有足够的金钱。

衍生：

financial freedom 财务自由

例句：

With many ladies today being financially independent, they no longer seek long-term relationships early in their adult lives. They are more interested in having fun and gaining experience before finally settling down for marriage or parenthood.

如今，随着许多女性在经济上越来越独立，她们不再在成年早期寻求长期的关系。在最终安定下来结婚或为人父母之前，他们更感兴趣的是享受乐趣和获得经验。

「实用口语表达」

1. tell me about... 给我讲讲......

This is a fixed collocation. It is commonly used in some dialogues and it is fairly practical.

这是一个固定搭配，在对话中比较常见，也非常实用。

例句：

Tell me about your clinical trials. How did they go?

跟我说说你的临床试验。进展如何？

2. Congratulations! 恭喜；祝贺

It is an expression to someone for their success, good luck, or happiness on a special occasion.

它是在一个特殊场合对某人取得成功，好运，或者快乐的一种表达。

衍生：

Well done! 做得很好！

You have a good taste. 你很有品位。

You are really talented. 你很有天赋。

例句：

Whenever someone we know experiences one of those moments of pride, it's up to us to tell them "congratulations" .

每当我们认识的人经历这样一个自豪的时刻，我们就应该告诉他们“恭喜”。

「今日所学回顾」

1.发音技巧：

（1）语调：I have a car at home↗, and oh, my job↘!（2）断句：So, | you’re applying for| a B2 visa, |where is your final destination | and what’s the purpose of your trip | to the United States?

2.核心词汇：

visa [ˈviːzə] n. (护照的)签证sponsor [ˈspɑːnsər] v. 资助invitation letter 邀请函ties [taɪz] n. 联系;关系financially independent 经济独立

3.口语表达：

tell me about给我讲讲Congratulations! 恭喜;祝贺

That’s all for today. Hope you like today’s class. Can you let me know what your favorite country is?

我们这期的学习就到这里了。希望你喜欢今天的课程。你能告诉我你最喜欢的国家是哪一个？

I pretty much love the Netherlands and the people there.

The country is so beautiful and people there are very warm-hearted, hospitable, and modest. So it will be worth visiting this country, I promise.

我超喜欢荷兰和那里的人。这个国家很漂亮而且那里的人民非常的热心，好客，而且很谦虚。所以我保证，这个国家值得一游。

Okay. Thanks for listening. See you next time and have a great day!

好了。感谢收听，下期再见。祝愿大家度过美好的一天！